1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a processing apparatus applied to the photolithography for forming a desired pattern of a resist film, for example, on a semiconductor wafer and a substrate such as a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display device or the like and a processing method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
In processes of semiconductor device fabrication, the photolithography for forming a resist film, for example, on a surface of a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter referred to as "a wafer") or the like is performed. The photolithography consists of various processing steps such as resist coating processing for coating a wafer with a resist, exposure processing for exposing the resist-coated wafer, thermal processing for heating the wafer, developing processing for developing the exposed wafer, and the like, and these various processing steps are performed, for example, in a coating and developing system.
In the above fabrication processes, a wafer inspection process for inspecting whether the thickness of a resist film or the pattern-formed line width is formed into a predetermined thickness or a predetermined line width, for example, is performed for wafers which have undergone resist coating processing or developing processing. The wafer inspection process is performed in inspection equipment provided independently of the coating and developing system.
Specifically, an operator selects a wafer out of wafers which have undergone resist coating processing, developing processing, or the like, for example, for every given period of time or every given number of wafers, and takes the selected wafer to the place of the inspection equipment to inspect the surface of the wafer.
However, a wafer selected from the resist coating unit, a developing unit, or the like is taken to inspection equipment to undergo inspections by an operator himself or herself, whereby there is a possibility that the wafer is artificially contaminated while being taken to the inspection equipment or when being carried into the equipment.